Conor O’Malley the Pat’s hero after shootout drama

Galway United 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 0 (St Patrick’s Athletic won 4-3 on penalties): St Patrick’s Athletic manager Liam Buckley hailed goalkeeper Conor O’Malley as a star of the future after the Mayo native saved two penalties in the shoot-out to hand the Super Saints the EA Sports Cup in Eamonn Deacy Park on Saturday night.

O’Malley, who only turned 21 in August, saved the efforts of both Jake Keegan and Andy O’Connell after 120 minutes of football couldn’t produce a goal, to secure a third trophy in three years for the Richmond Park club.

“I think he has a very, very bright future, I think he’ll develop into something special and we will have a fight to keep him,” said Buckley, after completing the set of domestic silverware, having won the league in 2013 and the FAI Cup last year.